Amy Sisk reports for StateImpact Pennsylvania and WESA, Pittsburgh's NPR member station. She comes to Pennsylvania from another energy-rich state, North Dakota, where she told stories from coal mines, wind farms and the Bakken oil patch for Inside Energy and Prairie Public Broadcasting. Amy's stories often air on NPR, including those from the eight months she spent following the Dakota Access Pipeline protests. A reporting trip to the Bakken during its boom years sparked her interest in energy. Ever since, she's covered the industry -- from the way it is regulated to its influence on policy to its impact on people and the environment.

Gasoline prices are expected to climb to $3 per gallon this week in Pennsylvania.

Gasoline prices in Pennsylvania will likely hit the $3-per-gallon mark this week, their highest level since 2014.

Rising gas prices are partly the result of high demand, said Jim Garrity, a spokesperson for AAA East Central, which includes Pennsylvania and nearby states. The demand for gas right now nationwide is greater than any other April on record.

“That’s on the back of a stronger economy,” Garrity said. “That’s what has given consumers the confidence to say, ‘Yeah, we can take that trip this year,’ or, ‘We can go visit the family and not have to worry about the gasoline prices.’”

On top of demand, he said climbing crude oil prices are also at play. The price of oil tanked in 2014 and 2015 amid a global oversupply, but it’s ticked back up since last summer.

Pennsylvania has the highest gas tax in the nation, which accounts for why the average gas price here — $2.97 on Tuesday — sits 11 cents higher than other Mid-Atlantic states, Garrity said.

It may continue to rise as the summer travel season gets underway. As a result, Garrity said families with road trips on the horizon should plan accordingly.

“It’s a good thing to keep in the back of your head now, that you may be spending an extra $10 to $20 on the gas tank,” he said. “That’s where you can start saying to yourself, ‘What are we going to do to save some money on our summer trip? What am I going to do in my daily life to cut down on how much gasoline I’m using?’”